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Fox Sports
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Top 10 Players With Best Odds to be Drafted First Overall in 2026 NFL Draft
Who will be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft is a question that the college football world always has an answer to one year, if not two years in advance. While a lot can happen in one year, here are the 10 players with the best odds of being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (Odds according to DraftKings Sportsbook). Top 10 Players With Best Odds to be Drafted First Overall in the 2026 NFL Draft 10. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza (+3000) After spending the first two seasons of his career at California (2023-24), Mendoza transferred to Indiana, with whom he's expected to be the team's 2025 starting quarterback. Last season, the 6-foot-5 Mendoza totaled 3,004 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 144.6 passer rating, while completing 68.7% of his passes. He joins a Hoosiers team that's coming off an 11-2 season, highlighted by an appearance in the College Football Playoff. 9. Auburn DE Keldric Faulk (+2800) Faulk is one of the faces of an Auburn team that's looking to break through in its soon-to-be third season under head coach Hugh Freeze. Last season, Faulk racked up seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and 45 combined tackles. T-6. Ohio State DB/PR Caleb Downs (+2500) After shining at Alabama in his 2023 freshman season, Downs transferred to Ohio State in the wake of legendary Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban retiring. Year 1 in Columbus went quite well for the former five-star recruit. As a defensive back, Downs totaled two interceptions, six passes defended, eight tackles for loss and 82 combined tackles, while also returning six punts and running back one of them for a touchdown. Downs earned All-American honors in a season that saw the Buckeyes win the National Championship. T-6. Clemson DE T.J. Parker (+2500) After a solid freshman campaign, Parker was a force to be reckoned with for the Tigers in his sophomore season in 2024. In the latter year, Parker totaled 11.0 sacks, an ACC-high six forced fumbles, 20 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and 57 combined tackles on a Clemson team that won the ACC and reached the College Football Playoff. Parker will be an early favorite to win 2025 ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors. T-6. Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt (+2500) Leavitt transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State for the 2024 season in what turned out to be a fun ride for the program. In what was his first full year as a starting quarterback at the collegiate level, Leavitt flashed dual-threat ability. In the air, he totaled 2,885 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 150.2 passer rating, while completing 61.7% of his passes. On the ground, Leavitt rushed for 443 yards and five touchdowns. Leavitt and the Sun Devils finished 11-3, won the Big 12 and reached the College Football Playoff before a heartbreaking overtime loss to Texas in the quarterfinal round. 5. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik (+1200) The 2025 season will be Klubnik's third under center for the Tigers, and he's coming off an encouraging 2024 campaign. In said season, Klubnik totaled 3,639 passing yards, 36 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 148.2 passer rating, while completing 63.4% of his passes. He also rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns. Klubnik led Clemson to an ACC title and subsequently a berth in the College Football Playoff. 4. South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers (+800) Sellers was South Carolina's starting quarterback for all but one game in 2024 in what was a season that saw the freshman turn heads. As a passer, Sellers totaled 2,534 passing yards, 18 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 151.9 passer rating, while completing 65.6% of his passes. He also rushed for 674 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound signal-caller flashed a capable arm, while imposing his will on the ground in a season that saw the Gamecocks go 9-4. 3. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier (+425) After sitting on the bench for the better part of three seasons, Nussmeier became LSU's starting quarterback in 2024 and more than held his own. Nussmeier totaled 4,052 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 142.7 passer rating, while completing 64.2% of his passes in a 9-4 season for the Tigers. As with any season at LSU, Nussmeier and the Tigers have high expectations for the 2025 season, which will be their fourth season under head coach Brian Kelly. LSU will go as far as the gun-slinging Nussmeier, who led the SEC with 525 pass attempts last season, takes them. 2. Penn State QB Drew Allar (+275) After a 2023 season that saw Allar throw for a Big Ten-high 25 touchdowns, he put together an even more convincing 2024 campaign, which saw the quarterback throw with conviction and lead the Nittany Lions to the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff. Allar totaled 3,327 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 153.5 passer rating, while completing 66.5% of his passes. He also rushed for 302 yards and six touchdowns. 1. Texas QB Arch Manning (+225) Yes, there's another, and this one is named after the grandfather. Manning will be the Longhorns' quarterback next season after backing up Quinn Ewers in 2024 and appearing in just two games in 2023. Manning, the No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2023, actually made two starts for Texas last season and appeared in 10 games total, primarily as a rushing threat when he was brought in for select plays. In all, Manning totaled 939 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 184.0 passer rating, while completing 67.8% of his passes and rushing for 108 yards and four touchdowns. He's under center for a Texas team that reached the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff last season and has its sights set on a National Championship. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football NFL Draft recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Penn State Top 25 Players for 2025, WR Trebor Pena
While it certainly can be said that the Penn State Nittany Lions made a breakthrough last season, that does not mean that they weren't devoid of any problems. After all, despite their success, fans, pundits, and analysts alike still pointed out the glaringly obvious. Despite an improved Drew Allar and one of, if not the best RB tandems in the nation, one position group offensively stood out as a major concern for the future of Penn State: the wide receivers. The wide receivers were so inefficient in fact, that the leading receiver was tight end Tyler Warren, who was often Penn State's get-out-of-jail-free card in the passing game. After his departure to the NFL, Penn State realized they needed to change at the position, grow deeper. And fast. In an active offseason, the Nittany Lions aggressively dipped into the transfer portal, picking up three wide receivers to help bolster their squad: Kyron Hudson of USC, Devonte Ross of Troy and most intriguingly, Trebor Pena of Syracuse. Tasked with energizing a moribund receiving corps, this group holds the weight of Penn State's future squarely on their shoulders. They must perform or else there will be uproar in Happy Valley and perhaps an onsetting frustration within the team should they disappoint. Nittany Lions Wire is taking a deeper look at the top 25 players on the 2025 roster, and for today, we will be discussing one of these receivers and perhaps the most promising of the group: Trebor Pena. 2024 in Review Throughout his five years with the Syracuse Orange, Trebor Pena thrived in a pass-rich system that saw him get the ball countless times and create for his team. 2024 was a prime example of his skill and production. He had an ACC-high 84 catches for 941 yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking 13th nationally in catches. This season was super vital to his development as well, seeing as to how he missed the last two seasons due to lingering injury issues. At Penn State, he offers so much invaluable assets outside of his game that must be on display as soon as he steps foot in Beaver Stadium for the season opener. As a sixth-year guy, he is someone who teammates can look up to but most importantly aspire to be. If he immediately proves that Penn State's investment is him is right, then surely teammates will follow, especially should he be Allar's go-to target in this new-look offense. The only question is how productive he can be and how high he will leap for this team with clear championship aspirations. Biggest Question in 2025 There are many questions surrounding Pena in this Penn State offense. However, the most important one could be his rapport with Drew Allar. While Allar now has a solid array of offensive weapons around him, he is sure to look to Pena as his No. 1 option. Hudson and Ross are by no means bad athletes, but it is Pena who was the marquee addition and he and Allar have to perform and develop with each other as such. Another relationship that could prove to be important is between both Pena and OC Andy Kotelnicki. Kotelnicki loves having a guy like Pena on his roster because of his versatility. Pena's speed and ability in the open field are undeniable, and I can't imagine Andy Kotelnicki will not take advantage of these traits. Not only could Pena be the No. 1 option, but much like Tyler Warren last year, he could potentially align wherever Kotelnicki sees fit. Whether it be in the backfield, the slot, outside, or amybe even throwing the football, look for Kotelnicki to be extra tricky with a new weapon unlike any Penn State has had in their offense in recent memory. 2025 will be a success if.. . The answer is quite simple. Trebor Pena must be the guy Penn State believes he is and most importantly, establish himself as a vocal leader who will do whatever it takes to win a championship. Pena does not have the benefit of ingratiating himself with Penn State fans for the past three to four years. Every plaudit and accolade must be earned. Anything less and the pain of a failed season will sting even more for the Syracuse transfer. For the past six years of his college career, Pena has plied his trade for a Syracuse team that would never dream of CFP aspirations, let alone making even a first-round appearance. However, expectations are different in Happy Valley. They now know what they can achieve and so do the players who have been through it all throughout their Penn State careers. Allar knows. Singleton. Allen knows. The big question, despite his experience and versatility, is Does Pena know to? The answer to that question could end up being Penn State's season in a nutshell. 2025 will be a disappointment if... Pena fails to break out as the No. 1 option and does not even exceed 1,000 receiving yards. Furthermore, Penn State not even making the CFP, while not feeling like a possibility this late in the offseason, would be a massive failure to both himself and the team. To put into perspective the receiving woes that the Nittany Lions experienced last year, six receivers combined caught fewer passes(102) than Tyler Warren. That simply cannot be the case for the headliner of their transfer portal class. Pena is certainly capable of being a 1,000 yard receiver. He proved it as much last season, only 59 yards off the mark. Now in a much more pressurized environment, with loftier standards, and more importantly, less margin for error, Pena will have no excuses for any disappointing efforts he puts forth. This receiving corps has been too ineffective for it to continually let down the team over and over again. Pena can't just be another failed project. And he only has one season to do it, unlike others on the squad. The pressure is Pena cannot crack. Realistic Outlook for 2025 I do not expect anyone else to have a bigger role in the receiving room for the Nittany Lions than Trebor Pena. With all this intangibles he brings to the table, Franklin, Kotelnicki and company will want to unleash his qualities as quickly as possible within their scheme. Ultimately however, the bottom line is Pena himself. Can he handle the pressure, the tension that comes with being a go-to guy for a true blue-blood program? As he will quickly learn, Penn State is Syracuse. There are two ways you could look at Pena as a Penn State in terms of expectations and subsequent performance: Either he is everything you want and more or he means nothing to either the success or failure of their season. Either one has its perks and its caveats. But nothing right now in the offseason feels either concrete or satisfactory. There is a chance Pena isn't successful but the Nittany Lions are. There is also a chance Pena is an immediate star and Penn State falters in their push for a championship. When all avenues are open, you can never be truly certain about a player like Pena.
Fox Sports
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Cam Ward has already made Titans history as No. 1 pick in 2025 NFL Draft
The Tennessee Titans selected Miami (Fla.) quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday night, as expected. Ward made Titans history in the process, becoming the fourth player in franchise history and first quarterback to be drafted with the first overall pick. The other three — wide receiver Larry Elkins (1965), defensive end John Matuszak (1973) and Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell (1978) — were each selected by the then-Houston Oilers. Last season, Ward totaled 4,313 passing yards, 39 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and an ACC-high 172.2 passer rating, while completing 67.2% of his passes. He also rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns in a 10-3 season for the Hurricanes. He was named the ACC Player of the Year and was a finalist for the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Ward transferred to Miami for the 2024 college football season after spending two years with Washington State (2022-23). Across those two seasons, Ward averaged 3,484 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions per season, while posting a 138.0 passer rating and completing 65.5% of his passes. He also rushed for 13 touchdowns with the Cougars. Ward, who was a zero-star recruit coming out of high school, spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Incarnate Word and finished his five-year collegiate career with a Division I all-time record 156 passing touchdowns. His selection marks the third consecutive season that a quarterback has been taken with the No. 1 pick and the ninth time in the past 11 years. The 6-foot-2 Ward joins a Titans quarterback room that includes 2023 second-round draft pick Will Levis and veterans Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. Tennessee is coming off a 3-14 season. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League Tennessee Titans Cam Ward recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
21-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
What are the 10 best men's college basketball seasons by a freshman?
The potential first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, freshman forward Cooper Flagg, will be in action Saturday night (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app) as the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils take on Illinois at Madison Square Garden. Flagg is in the midst of a potent first season at the collegiate level, averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 48.6/36.6/81.3 heading into Saturday's tilt. With that in mind, what are the best seasons by a freshman men's college basketball player? We've rounded up the 10 best. 10 best college basketball seasons by a freshman 10. Michael Beasley, Kansas State (2007-08) "Your favorite player's favorite player" was a force to be reckoned with in his freshman season. Averaging a Big 12-high 26.2 points — which was third in the nation at that time — and 12.4 rebounds, as well as 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals per game, Beasley helped the Wildcats get to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and win their first tournament game in 12 years. Beasley would go pro after the season, becoming the second overall pick in 2008. 9. Kevin Love, UCLA (2007-08) Love was a walking double-double for the Bruins, averaging 17.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 55.9/35.4/76.7 in his lone season on the college scene. The big man and future-Mr. Triple-Double, Russell Westbrook, helped lead the Bruins to a 35-4 season, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and an appearance in the Final Four. Love would become the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, one pick behind Westbrook. 8. Magic Johnson, Michigan State (1977-78) Johnson was as spectacular at the collegiate level as he was at the NBA level. Whether it be facilitating, hitting the boards and starting the fastbreak or attacking the rack, Johnson did it all for the Spartans; he averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and a Big Ten-high 7.4 assists per game his freshman year. The next season, Johnson and the Spartans won the national championship, and he would go on to become the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. 7. Zion Williamson, Duke (2018-19) Williamson took the sports scene by storm in the 2018-19 season. Handling the rock, attacking the rim with reckless abandonment, sticking mid-range jumpers and skying above the rim as well as anybody in the sport, Williamson — who stood at 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds — was a spectacle in his lone season in the sport. That season, Williamson averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks per game, while shooting an ACC-high 68.0% from the field. He would help Duke reach the Elite Eight, and he went on to be the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. 6. Derrick Rose, Memphis (2007-08) Rose helped lead Memphis to arguably the best season in program history. Averaging 14.9 points, 4.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game, Rose, who could explode off the dribble, was the motor for the Tigers' offense. While they ultimately lost to Kansas in the end, Rose and the Tigers still went 38-2 and reached the national championship, with the point guard averaging 20.8 points and 6.0 assists per game in the NCAA Tournament. Rose was the first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. 5. Kevin Durant, Texas (2006-07) Durant had one of the best seasons that a college basketball player has had, regardless of what year it came in. In the 2006-07 season, Durant posted 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.9 steals per game, while shooting 47.3/40.4/81.6 for the Longhorns. Durant's point, rebound and block averages all led the Big 12. The well-rounded and highly efficient star forward led Texas to a 25-10 record and first-round win in the NCAA Tournament. Durant was the second overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft; he was part of the last version of the Seattle SuperSonics before they rebranded as the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008. 4. Chris Jackson/Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, LSU (1988-89) Chris Jackson, who changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in 1993, scored a lot in his freshman season at LSU — like a lot. He was second in the nation in scoring, averaging an SEC-high 30.2 points per game, while shooting 48.6/38.9/81.5 and helping the Tigers reach the NCAA Tournament. The next season, he led the SEC in scoring again, averaging 27.8 points per game en route to being selected with the third overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. 3. Michael Jordan, North Carolina (1981-82) In what was his first introduction to the national stage, Jordan helped the Tar Heels win the national title in the 1981-82 season that saw North Carolina go 32-2. UNC edged out Patrick Ewing, Sleepy Floyd and the Georgetown Hoyas in the title game, 63-62, with Jordan contributing 16 points and nine rebounds. Jordan would play two more seasons at Chapel Hill, leading the ACC in scoring in his final season (19.6 PPG) before becoming the third overall pick in 1984. 2. Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse (2002-03) Arguably the best player to suit up for the Orange, Anthony delivered the school its only championship title in the 2002-03 season, when Anthony averaged 22.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 45.3/33.7/70.6 en route to Syracuse going 30-5. The 6-foot-8 forward could shoot off the dribble, finish at the rim, play in the post and stick it from deep. His 248 defensive rebounds that season stand as the most by a player in a single season in school history. Anthony was the third overall pick in 2003, and his son, Kiyan, will play for Syracuse starting next season. 1. Anthony Davis, Kentucky (2011-12) More often than not, the Wildcats were knocking on the door of a national title with head coach John Calipari, but they only won the national championship once in his 15 years running the show — with Davis. In the 2011-12 season, Davis was a one-of-one. While he could certainly dominate in the paint and later developed a reliable jump shot, Davis was primarily a menace on the defensive end, averaging a nation-high 4.7 blocks, while also reeling in 10.4 rebounds per game. Offensively, he averaged 14.2 points per game, while shooting an SEC-high 62.3% from the field. Davis shot 1-of-10 from the field in the national championship, but he countered the offensive struggle by ripping down 16 rebounds and denying six shots, as Kentucky took down Kansas. Davis was the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Honorable mentions: Trae Young Greg Oden Patrick Ewing Jahlil Okafor John Wall Kenny Anderson Wayman Tisdale Jared Sullinger Chet Holmgren Shaquille O'Neal Demarcus Cousins Pervis Ellison Cooper Flagg Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Basketball National Basketball Association recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
